8AM News on WRAL - Thursday, April 16, 2026

When sleep isn't working, everything feels harder. Your health, your patience, your focus, even your relationships. I'm Megan Giggling with Parkway Sleep Health Centers. Too often, people are told to wait months or even years just to talk to a sleep specialist, but untreated sleep problems don't wait. At Parkway, care begins within weeks, with home sleep studies and fast coordinated support, so people can move forward instead of staying stuck. Better sleep changes everything. Parkway Sleep, your fastest path to better sleep. Start today at parkway sleep.com. Sound sleep. Sound health. Two chances for rain in our seven-day forecast. I'll let you know why it's probably not going to affect the draft. Challenging voter eligibility. Elections officials are working to decide who can vote in the state of North Carolina. The measures they're considering to prevent voter fraud. Drought conditions. Wakeout residents are facing water restrictions for the first time in two decades when the restrictions begin and what you need to do to avoid a violation. WRL News at 8 on Fox 50 starts in about 30 seconds. At Leith Honda in Raleigh and Autopark Honda in Carry, we make your buying process easy. And with every new car purchase, you'll enjoy complementary oil changes and exceptional service. It's no wonder we've earned so many five-star reviews. You'll also get peace of mind pricing with every used vehicle. And if it's not the perfect fit, no problem. Bring it back within three days for an easy exchange. Visit our showroom at Autopark Honda and Carey or Leith Honda in Raleigh. It's easier here. Your number one source for local news. This is WRAL, coverage you can count on. Good morning, everyone. We have some hazy sunshine out there. Going to be another hot one with temperatures way above normal. I'm Renee Chu. And I'm Ken Smith. With all that in mind, let's go ahead and get right over to meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner, and this to bear weather center, just tracking it all for us. We do have some high thin cloud cover out there right now. That's not going to help to keep us any cooler. We saw the same thing yesterday. It's all about the wind direction. The southwesternly wind, there at 13 miles per hour, keeps forcing that warmth in. So we're starting here at 68 right now in the triangle. 67 in Southern Pines, 66 in Rocky Mountain, 63 in Roxburgh. Another hot one. We hit 92 yesterday, which broke the previous record looking at low 90s again for this afternoon. Now today stays dry, but finally tomorrow there'll be a weak front that approaches us. It'll bring a few people a quick shot at some rain, but it'll likely not be any more than say a tenth of an inch. We have another chance on Sunday. It'll definitely drop our temperatures, but I'll show you why it may not bring us much rain. Ken?

Happening now in the W.R. Live Center, traffic center. Let's check that Southern Loop of the Beltline. You've got I-40 near the Lake Wheel of Road entrance ramp. You can see those bump in a bumper traffic. The westbound lanes moving away from us. So right now you're looking at an eight-minute delay. So, keep in mind that Southern Loop of the Beltline covers I-40-4-40 interchange in Southeast Raleigh over to U.S. 1 there in carry. Again, you're looking at an eight-minute delay. No delays if you're coming in from the Gardner-Johnson County area between Highway 36 and the Beltline. So that's really good news to report. Northern loop of the Beltline, traffic's actually flowing a lot better. I-440 and Ridge Road. So depending on where you're coming from this morning, you might want to just take that northern loop of the Beltline in terms of depending on where you're headed. Because right now you're looking at an 11-minute delay. But most of that delays between the I-87-4-40 interchange to Capitol Boulevard. And then it's relatively pretty smooth sailing all the way over to I-40. You're getting ready to head into the car. Tune. It's in on the radio, 101.5, HD3. Ken, thank you. New information on a Raleigh shooting this morning involving a juvenile. Police say the young person shot themselves in the leg early this morning. This happened just before 1230 this morning at the Lynchford, Litchford 315 apartments. That person is expected to be okay. Breaking news, fire crews are investigating what started an apartment fire in Carborough. This is video from the W.R.R.R. Breaking News tracker at the Ashbrook apartment complex on Jay Jones Ferry Road. The Carborough Fire Department says they were called out there around two this morning and found heavy smoke when they got there. We are still trying to find out if there were any injuries. Also new this morning, crews from across Cumberland County responded to an overnight silo fire. This was at the Cargill Ag soybean crush facility on River Road near Fayetteville. Cruise there say a fire broke out at the six-story silo around 10 p.m. They say it started because of a mechanical issue with the conveyor that takes soybeans to the top of the silo. Nobody was hurt responding to the fire. For the first time in nearly two decades, Ray County residents are facing water restrictions. While you see the leaders say water levels at Falls Lake triggered the restrictions. This is unusual, and this is why we're taking this step now. We're trying to be preemptive in case this intensifies later in the year. So here's what you need to know. Starting Monday, Raleigh water customers will only be allowed to use sprinklers between midnight and 10 a.m. Homes with odd number addresses can water on Tuesday. Homes with even number addresses can water on Wednesday. Violators will first be given a warning. After that, fine started at $50 and increased from there. The early heat wave is putting a strain on the dozens of strawberry farms now open in the triangle. W. R.O.L. Ali Calabar is at Page Farms in Wake County right now. And Ali, farmers say the strawberry season may be shorter this year. Are you going on a tour of the strawberry patch?

Yeah, we're actually on our way to check out the pond levels here. We know that the heat is causing the strawberries to ripen sooner. They're needing more water to keep those strawberries cool. And so we're going to check out the pond levels. That's their main source of water. Farmers say that they're using a lot more water to keep those strawberries cool. Now, they're irrigating the berries from underneath. Danny Page, owner of Page Farm says the lack of rain is good for them. It actually keeps them from falling off the vines and rotting. It does come with a price. They are using more diesel fuel to work the system and more water from their pond, which is dropping quickly because of the drought. Page says the early stretch of heat may shorten that season. This year, the heat has came in and affected us earlier than what it usually does. Most time it's in May before we ever hit a 90-degree day. Yeah, and so you can see the pond right here, the main source of water supply. We are coming to check it out. Page says that they lost about a foot over the past month. So in the next half hour, we're going to get a better look at that pond level, and we're going to check that out and keep you updated. Reporting live in Wake County, Ali Kadlar, WRL News. Allie, thank you. Right now, fires are everywhere, hence the statewide burn ban. The problem is not everyone is listening. State officials handed out 150 citations since the ban began. The city of Durham's deputy fire marshal says it could be more serious than that. Depending on the severity of the fire and the damage is done, there could be possible civil or criminal charges that would come along with that. We have more specifics on what you can and cannot do during a burn ban. That's all listed on WRL.com. We'll take you live now to the Pentagon where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is holding a news briefing. This comes as a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is set to end in less than a week. Now, according to reports, there's a second round of peace talks that could resume as early as this week. We are monitoring the Defense Secretary's briefing. We'll keep you updated on any new information in the W.O. Live Center. Well, today, questions about voter eligibility will be considered by state leaders. Elections officials will look into proof of citizenship. That's bringing WRA's Kirsten Clark live at the state vote of elections this morning. In Kirsten, the state already has measures in place to prevent voter fraud. Yes, Ken, even so Republicans on the state board of elections have said that they want to make sure that non-citizens are not voting in North Carolina elections. This morning, the board is scheduled to consider the number of documents a voter must provide to prove their citizenship in the event it's challenged during the election. This move comes as President Trump seeks to restrict mail-in voting in part to ensure non-citizens don't cast ballots.

are prohibited from voting under state and federal law. And there's no evidence of widespread voter fraud by non-citizens in North Carolina. So the board is also expected to discuss rules for voting sites, absentee votes, and more. And of course, our NC Capital team will be covering that meeting, which starts in about two hours here at 10 o'clock this morning. You can find updates on WRL.com. Live in Ralee, Kirsten Clark, WRL News. And this morning we are working to learn more after a man was hit and killed by a train in Raleigh. This happened on the train tracks near I-40 and Gardner Road around 8 o'clock last night. The Amtrak passenger train that hit the person was more than three hours late arriving to carry because it was stopped for the investigation. This all happened on the Norfolk Southern tracks, so that railroad company is leading the investigation. A Durham Uber driver's family is suing after he was shot to death by passenger. The family of Emmanuel BD says the company knows the risks drivers face and failed to do enough to protect them. Uber has safety features like an in-app emergency button. But drivers say when violence happens in the back seat, help is not always within reach. I've been attacked by multiple passengers, both physically and sexually. And so, no, it's not always a safety thing, but I'm a single parent. I need the income, so I do what I need to do. We asked for a comment on data on violent incidents involving their drivers and the lawsuit. A spokesperson replied in part, we know there's always more work to do, and we remain committed to strengthening protections and improving the experience for everyone on the platform. Now, if you'd like to learn more about Uber's current safety guidelines for passengers and drivers, go to www.com. It is right there on our homepage. Happening today, Fayetteville City Manager is asking for community input on projects. Doug Hewitt will host a feedback session at Country Club Church of Christ from 6 this evening until 8 p.m. These conversations shape decisions, strengthen connections, and promote responsible city growth. The city has always shared an online forum where you can submit questions ahead of the meeting. Also, the city of Durham asking for help finding a new police chief. Current chief, Patrice Andrews, set to retire in a couple of weeks. The department is turning to Deputy Chief Walter Tate in the interim. A survey will be open for the next week and a half so people can share their qualities they're looking for in the new chief. They will use that feedback to identify candidates. Well, top now 8-10. Still ahead, no political return. Tom Tiller says he has no interest in public office after his turn ends. The disagreements with President Trump that led to his development. Plus, it has been 15 years to the day since devastating tornadoes ripped through Raleigh and the surrounding areas. A look back at the record-breaking weather event.

are moving forward with a proposal to give the state more control over property taxes. Yesterday, a House committee advanced a plan that would cap how much counties can raise your property taxes. Some Democrats pushed back against a Republican proposal, warning the change could limit flexibility on property tax policy. The amendment would still need approval from both chambers by a supermajority. If it passes, voters could decide on the ballot perhaps as soon as November. Leaders in fast-growing Harnock County are also eyeing changes to property taxes. This week, a county commissioner proposed taxing residents on the value of their property when it was purchased rather than what it was assessed during reevaluation. Commissioners are now asking state lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow county leaders to explore the idea. This comes as people are facing soaring property values after a recent assessment. Last year, my total tax valuation was $40,000. And this year, it's almost $120,000. So in effect, it went up 300%. Critics say the move could hurt new residents. Some commissioners raised concerns about how the change would impact Harnett County's tax revenue. Well, today marks 15 years of round of tornadoes came through North Carolina. That's the largest one-day total on record in our state. Some of the tornadoes are highly popular areas like Mali. 24 people were killed in North Carolina, including four children in a Raleigh Mobile Home Park. More than $328 million in damage was assessed across our state. With it being such a dry start to spring and the first part of the year, we would need a significant amount of rain within the next month to end our drought. Meteorologist Grant Skinner joining us now in Grant. This has been the driest start to the year on record for the triangle. I've only seen 6.06 inches of rain, which is 6 inches below what we have. normally seen at this time of the year based on climatology. And you look at these kind of details in the weather service. Third dryest start to the spring at RDU, only 1.71 inches of rain. That's about four inches below normal. And the sixth driest in Fayetteville. So we need a lot of rain to help break the severe drought that we have across much of our area and extreme drought for our northeastern spots. Looking at the numbers around 8 to 10 inches of rain needed for the majority of our area. Look at areas back towards Moore County and through Charlotte. around 12.5 inches. And you can see towards the southern mountains 13 and a half inches of rain to help break the drought within a one month time period. So we need a lot of rain in a short period of time. Look at the percentages, the chances for our drought to be busted. Looking at.

less than a percent for most places. Look at Asheville, 0.04%, even 1 to 2 percent towards the coastline where they typically have those higher precip totals. So, yeah, Elizabeth, not a whole lot of hope, especially in the near future, I've seen the drought being busted, but hopefully in the long term we can finally get some significant rain. Yeah, those are some pretty scary statistics, Grant. And it took us a long time to get there. Of course, we started seeing the dry conditions in September, and so, you know, six months plus, more than six months ago. can take a long time to come out of a drought, even if we settle back into a wetter pattern. Chapel Hill is looking nice this morning as we take a look from top of the hill restaurant. We have some high thin cloud cover, but sunshine peeking through. A southwest wind at 13 is helping to keep the warm air moving in. 68 is our temperature in the triangle. Here's a look at our next system. This is going to come through Friday. We've been looking at this kind of all week, and it just looked like it was really going to weaken and not bring us any ray. But the newer runs of the models show just a brief shower for us. Temperatures will. still be close to 90. This one is not going to drop our temperatures. We'll kick things off at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. Once we get closer to lunchtime, you can see how just a few of us see a quick shower. That continues up until around the middle of the afternoon. So very little rain in the forecast for tomorrow, but worth showing. Here's a look at what's happening with that front right now. It had a more significant band of rain with it earlier, but it's weakening even as it moves across the Mississippi Valley. Then we have another one behind it. So this one moves through with a small chance. for rain. This is a look at Sunday's front. Also looking much more significant back to the west. It moves through here mid to late afternoon. And the coast may see a bit more rain than we'll see here as that front moves across the mountains at weekends. But closer to the coast late on Sunday, it may interact with a slightly more moist air mass, bringing a better chance for some showers and storms there. So we're not holding out much hope for very much precipitation. You can see it's about a tenth of an inch or so along the coast. We could hope for a tenth of an inch for Friday and Sunday. combined, but again, we're not holding out too much hope for very much precipitation. Now we're close to an inch. We're going to go from 94 Saturday to 67 on Monday, though. So this is going to be a big change for us. Temperature-wise, feeling a good bit more comfortable for much of next week. Ken? All right, Elizabeth. It's happening now in the W. Traffic Center Board. We're staying on top of this southern loop of the Beltline. It's I-40 and Lake Wheeler Road. That's a Lake River entrance ramp right there. These are the westbound lanes moving away from us this morning. Right now, you're looking at a six-minute delay. And that's southern loop covers the I-40-4-40 interchange and southeast. All the way over to US 1 there in Kerry. So just a six-minute delay, really nothing that's going to make you late this morning. No delay is if you're coming in from the Gardner-Mike Johnston-carry on I-40, westbound between Highway 36 and the belly. Beltline. But things are looking a lot better on the northern loop of the Beltline, I-440 and Ridge Road. Here in the Ridge Road area, not seeing any particular delays, but I think we're picking up the delays, really when we widen out the loop between the 87-440 Interchange and Capitol Boulevard. But it's really clear sailing after that all the way over to I-40 at this hour. Coming up, voter eligibility concerns. Today, elections leaders will consider the state's rules for challenging votes, the decisions on the basis of citizenship. Plus, severe drought impacts. Raleigh water customers will be given limits on sprinkler times. What limitations will come next if rain doesn't come soon? Here, Fivo. Come, Fivo. Who's a good girl?

Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required. Snap away the stress of selling your home with Sold It in a Snap. With our local expertise, moving becomes a breeze. No repairs, no showings, just peace of mind. Provide a few quick details. Schedule an in-home walkthrough with a Jim Allen Group expert and receive your personalized cash offer in a snap. Snap away the stress of home selling with the local expertise of Sold It in a Snap. Log on to sold it in a snap.com to get your offer now. That's sold it in a snap.com. As you get into your car, tuned to WRL News Plus on your radio and rally on 99.3 FM. In Durham, 96.5 FM and everywhere on 101.5 HD3. It is 826. Welcome to your Thursday, 890s in April. You know, it's going to be a hot one. Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner tracking our temperatures right now feeling mild, though, as the sun comes out. It looks pretty here in apex. As we look down Salem Street, lots of blue sky, plenty of sunshine, a little bit of height and cloud cover in a few places, but that's not really going to change our temperatures. Definitely not going to bring us any rain. Our temperatures are in the low to mid-60s right now, or I should say actually mid-to-Upper 60s, 68 in Raleigh, 60s. 6 in Wilson and 67 in Goldsboro. Heading to the park this afternoon, the hottest time of the day will be between 3 and 5 o'clock. So you may want to try to go earlier or later on in the evening when we dip into the 80s. Kent. Morning commuted this hour. Right now we're looking at I-40 Lake Wheeler Road, the bumper-to-bumper traffic that we see this time of the morning. Those are the westbound lanes moving away from us this morning. We're really and truly are just looking at a six-minute delay there, and that's southern loop of the belt line. Because once you get past the Gorman Street exit, I think it's clear sailing all the way to I-40 to I-40 westbound this morning. So if you're navigating I-40 westbound coming in from the Garner-Mike Johnston County area, no delays between Highway 36 and the Beltline. Fire crews are investigating what started this apartment fire in Carborough. The flames started around two this morning at the Ashbrook apartment complex on Jay Jones Ferry Road. We are trying to find out if there were any injuries. Cruz from across Cumberland County responded to an overnight silo fire. This happened at the Cargill Aged soybean crushed facility on River Road near Fayetteville. Cruise on scenes say a fire broke out at the six-story silo around 10 p.m. Nobody was hurt responding to the fire. Next on Fox 50, election officials will look into proof of citizenship for voters today.

Snap away the stress of selling your home with Sold It in a Snap. With our local expertise, moving becomes a breeze, no repairs, no showings, just peace of mind. Provide a few quick details, schedule an in-home walkthrough with a Jim Allen Group expert, and receive your personalized cash offer in a snap. Snap away the stress of home selling with the local expertise of Sold It in a Snap. Log on to sold it in a snap.com to get your offer now. That's sold it in a snap.com. Here, Fivo. Come, Fivo. Who's a good girl? Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required. Two chances for rain in our seven-day forecast. I'll let you know why it's probably not going to affect the draft. Challenging voter eligibility. Elections officials are working to decide who can vote in the state of North Carolina. The measures they're considering to prevent voter fraud. Drought conditions. Wakeout residents are facing water restrictions for the first time in two decades when the restrictions begin and what you need to do to avoid a violation. Lots to get to here in this half hour. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Ken Smith. And I'm Renee Chu. Great to have you with us. We are going to be on track for another near record or record-breaking day. Let's get to meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner and a nice shot of the DBAP where they're getting ready to play ball. Yeah, they have a homestand here at the German Bulls. The one thing that's different about, you know, going to a Bulls game in July is even though it's hot right now, we don't have the same humidity. So it doesn't feel as bad. If you find yourself a shady spot, over on the first baseline. It's going to be a pretty comfortable evening. We have some high thin clouds here in Durham right now. A southwest wind at 13 is helping to keep that warm air flowing into our region. And at 68 as you're heading out the door. 66 in Roxborough, 67 Goldsboro, and in southern pine. So we're seeing a slow warm up, but we will climb into the low 80s by lunchtime and hit 91 this afternoon. So we could end up tying the record high for today. We broke the record yesterday when we hit 92. We have some relief in. sight as we get into the second half of the weekend in terms of temperature, but there's not much rain in our forecast. This is a look at a week front that comes in tomorrow. A few of us can see a sprinkle. We'll talk about how much rain we can see in the next several days. Again, of course, you know, it's not very much.

All right, Elizabeth, happening now in the W.R. Traffic Center. Here's what we're looking at. This is I-40 and Lake Wheeler Road. We're looking at the southern loop of the belt line. And this is what the situation that you've been seeing all morning long in terms of the belt line. These are the westbound lanes moving away from us. And I just checked the sensors a little while ago. And you're looking at maybe like a six-minute delay. But this is really indicative of what we've been seeing all morning there on that southern loop of the belt line. The northern loop of the belt line, I just checked. that as well and we're seeing a little bit of delay between 440 and the 87 in exchange to Capitol Boulevard and then it's clear sailing right now you're looking at it maybe an 8 to 10 minute delay on that northern loop of the Beltline but basically we're not picking up any major delays in any of the major routes heading into the Raleigh Way County area I'll have another update coming up in less than 10 minutes We're following breaking news. Fire crews are investigating what started an apartment fire in Carborough. This is video from the W. Royal Breaking News tracker at the Ashbrook apartment complex on Jay Jones Ferry Road. The Carborough Fire Department says they were called out there around two this morning. They saw heavy smoke when they got there. We are working to find out if there were any injuries from this. New information on a Raleigh shooting this morning involving a juvenile. Police say the young person accidentally shot themselves in the leg. early this morning. It happened just before 1230 a.m. at the Litchford 315 apartments. We're told the juvenile is expected to be okay. Looking ahead, be prepared to use less of your water if you use Raleigh City Water come next week. Yeah, water restrictions go into effect Monday for thousands of wake out of residents for the first time in nearly 20 years. This comes as water supply levels drop in our drought intensifies. Here's what you need to know. Restrictions will go into effect Monday. Raleigh water customers will only be allowed to use sprinklers between midnight and 10 a.m. Homes with odd addresses can water Tuesdays and even-numbered addresses on Wednesdays. Those who violate the restrictions will be given a warning the first time. After that, fine started $50 and increased each with each offense. Well, WRA covered the code enforcement extensively in 2007. Code enforcement officers drove around the area making... sure people were in compliance. They went door to door issuing warnings. Hundreds of people were cited and fined. The city tells us they have four enforcement officers who will be out patrolling this time around two as well. In 2007, 100 million gallons of water were saved every week during phase one of restrictions. On top of the incoming water restrictions and drought, we are also in the midst of a heat wave. The heat is putting a strain on the dozens of strawberry farms now open in the triangle. W.R.L. Ali Calabar joins us live from Page Farms off Mount Herman Road in Wake County. Alley farmers say the strawberry season may be shorter this year. Yeah, and... And Renee, we are hearing from strawberry farms that the drought is actually not affecting the strawberries. It's the heat. And I picked up one of the strawberries here. You can see it is already ripe. It is...

pretty big looks delicious here. But that heat calls it to ripen a little bit sooner. And so farmers are having to use more water to keep these strawberries cool. Now they're irrigating the berries from underneath. Danny Page owner, one of the owners of Page Farms says the lack of rain is good for them. It keeps them from falling off the vines and rotting. But it does come with the price. They are using more diesel fuel to work the system and then more water from their pond. It's dropping quickly because of the drought. Page says the early stretch of heat may shorten their season. It would cut the blooms, make them short for the season. So the season might not go as quite as long. That's the reason we're going to be irrigating underneath, try to keep moisture to the plant and try to cool that plastic sun. Paige says the time is now to come pick the strawberries as they're looking like this. They also say that the drought is affecting other crops like wheat and hay. I did speak with some other strawberry farmers who said that they had to open up their picking season a few weeks early because of the heat. Reporting live in Wake County, Allie Caddabar, WRL News. Happening today, North Carolina election leaders will review the state's rules for challenging voters' eligibility. W.R.E.S. Kirsten Clark shares more on how the state already has measures in place to prevent voter fraud. Republicans on... The state board of elections have said that they want to make sure that non-citizens are not voting in North Carolina's elections. This morning, the board is scheduled to consider the number of documents a voter must provide to prove their citizenship. In the event, it is challenged during the election. The move comes as President Trump seeks to restrict mail-in voting in part to ensure non-citizens don't cast ballots. Now, non-citizens are prohibited from voting under state and federal law. And WRL state government reporter Paul Spey says there's no evidence of widespread voter fraud by non-citizens in North Carolina. That is rare. It does not happen at a grand scale. If you are a non-citizen in North Carolina, you are not allowed to participate in our elections. Still, these Republican board members, who have a majority on the board, have said they don't want any of those ballots. to slip through the crack. The board is also expected to discuss rules for voting sites, absentee voting and more. Of course, our NC Capital team will be covering that meeting, which starts here at 10 o'clock this morning. You can find updates on WRL.com. In Ralee, Kirsten Clark, WRL News. This morning, state lawmakers are also pushing for accountability on Medicaid fraud. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and the state's top health official, Dev Sangby, will testify under oath to the legislature today. Lawmakers want answers on what the state has been doing to catch fraud in the multi-billion dollar Medicaid program. It involves more than 1,000 health care providers treating more than 3 million North Carolinians.

W. R.S. State government reporter Will Doran says state lawmakers worry the fraud is going unnoticed. Their fear that fraud has been going undetected, state officials aren't catching as much, and that has contributed to some of these cost overruns. Jackson and the DHS Secretary are expected to tell lawmakers, North Carolina, is among the top states nationally and catching Medicaid fraud and getting the money paid back. Some state lawmakers remain skeptical. You can follow along with our coverage today on air and online at WRL.com. I'm Laura Levine here in the WRL Live Center right now. We've been listening into this press conference here inside the Pentagon with Defense Secretary. Pete Hegseth, along with Dan Cain. Right now, they are taking questions, I should say, from inside the Pentagon with the media. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he opened up this briefing simply saying that, we are watching you, that warning to Iran. He said that we are locked and loaded. We'd rather not have to do it, but we're ready to go at command of our president and at the push of a button. He said that the blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas was, quote, the polite way that this can go. He also told reporters Iran is moving. moving around its assets, but it's unable to replenish its military power almost seven weeks into the war. He also said the U.S. Navy is employing less than 10% of America's naval power to enforce the blockade against Iran during this briefing. He says the math is clear. We are using 10% of the world's most powerful Navy, and you have 0% of your Navy. So we're going to continue to listen into the questions that's being asked right now as we're following the latest developments on the war on Iran here in the live. And every day we've been tracking gas prices for you locally. According to new data from AAA, the average for a gallon of gas in Raleigh dropped another two cents to 386 a gallon. Nash County is seeing the lowest average in our area, 373 a gallon. Warren County, you have the highest at $3.99 a gallon. Goldsboro police say a man is in custody after shooting a woman barricading himself inside her home and causing a house fire. Sky 5 was over that home on Shelby Drive, or Shelley Drive, I should say. The woman is in the hospital. She's expected to survive. The person responsible who has not been named could face attempted murder and arson charges. Today, the man accused of setting a woman on fire in Samson County will go before a judge. 29-year-old Frankie Faircloth is facing charges such as first-degree arson, attempted murder, and first-degree burglary. Now, on Monday, deputies responded to a home on Pine Street, where they found a woman suffering from burns on two-thirds of her body. Faircloth was found near a wooded area behind a home on Butler Island Road. Neighbors say that sirens and the flashing lights from authorities were shocked to the close-knit community. Coming up, vendors in limbo, painted tree boutiques announces it's going out of business. The questions we are asking about what prompted the closure and what's next for those losing income because of it. Also paying for a subscription you don't want, five on your side sharing the state law meant to protect your money and help you cancel fast.

And I'm expecting the drought monitor graphic to update any minute the new data is in. It does include a lot more of our counties, including parts of Durham and Wake County in extreme drought. I'll show it to you as soon as it pops in. Here, Fivo! Come, Fivo! Who's a good girl? Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep. She barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal 24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required. If you're exhausted, not just tired, but worn down, this message is for you. I'm Brandon Gill, president of Parkway Sleep Health Centers. Across North Carolina, many people wait months, sometimes over a year just to start sleep care. That weight isn't normal. And it isn't necessary. At Parkway, most patients are seen within weeks, with virtual consultations and home sleep studies that remove... unnecessary delays. Sleep care shouldn't have to depend on how long you're willing to wait. Parkway sleep, your fastest path to better sleep. Start today at parkwaysleep.com. Sound sleep, sound health.

It's 844 at Thursday is the day that the drought monitor is released. And the information has come in in some places, but not everywhere. But I was able to take a look at it. Right here, red is extreme drought. That's from Rocky Mount up toward Roanoke Rapids. The new map shows almost all of our northern counties under extreme drought, as well as all of Durham County and part of Wake County. So we'll have that map for you as soon as it comes in. We'll widen out the view a little bit. And you can see how much extreme drought we already had. As of last weeks, we had a stretch from just east of Charlotte, up toward Boone, and from Asheville back to the west. So it is just expanding because of this, because of the dry conditions and the breezy conditions, we continue to have a burn ban. That burn ban is in effect until further notice, and that includes, you know, the weekend. It may be weeks or maybe even months that it's in place. Coming up, where to talk about a small chance for rain in the next couple of days. Ken? Elizabeth, we're still seeing that heavy congestion on that southern loop of the Beltline. We're talking about I-40 near the Lake Railroad entrance ramp. You can see the bumper-to-bum traffic in those westbound lanes moving away from us this morning. And really and truly, you're just picking up a six-minute delay, and it just dropped to three minutes. So things are getting better. I think once you get past the Gorman Street exit, it's clear sailing all the way towards Kerry and then beyond. Another update in less than 10 minutes. Ken, thank you. Paying for a subscription you don't want, you may have more power than you think. Five Understides, Keeley Arthur explains what you need to do to cancel it once and for all. Let's start. With the bad news, Americans waste $200 to more than $1,000 annually on unwanted and unused subscriptions. The good news is the law is on your side. You just have to know it. Here's how to use it. Under general statute 75-41, companies must clearly disclose renewal terms of subscription services. Provide a simple cancellation method and notify consumers of upcoming renewals for contracts lasting. over 60 days, ensuring consumers can cancel without hassle. Tonight on WRL News at 6, I will show you not only how I helped a man use the law and cancel his subscription, but get a full refund back. I'm happy that, you know, WRL was able to do anything and so quick. It's so fast. That's coming up tonight on WRL News at 6. Keeley Arthur, five on your side. Listen, we've got some new documents shedding light on the chaotic closure of painted tree stores all across the country, including two stores right here in the triangle. Hundreds of independent shop owners were told by the boutique company about the closures Tuesday, giving them only 10 days to move out. But new documents show if the small businesses wanted to leave, they would have to give the company 30 days written notice. Looking further, the company only had to give five days notice to shop owners if they wanted to end the agreement. So I think all we're going to get is the email that we got yesterday telling us to come get our stuff. Some of my understanding security deposits, correct? Right. Yeah, they have not communicated and it's highly unlikely that they will.

If business owners trying to plan for their next move, we're asking paint a tree, is they anything they say they're doing for vendors who are now looking for new places to put their inventory and can shop owners expect rent or security deposits back? They said they're not making any more comments other than Tuesday's statement acknowledging the closure. A woman is accused of abusing a patient at a Wake County assisted living facility. Queen Jim Jordan is facing felony, abuse, and neglect. It involved a patient at one-choice family care in Fuqua Verena. Jim Jordan is accused of removing a patient from the facility without authorization and leaving them unsupervised. She's also accused of not providing adequate care, resulting in severe wounds. Prosecutors have dropped the charges against a man connected to a stabbing in downtown Raleigh. The Wayne County DA's office says video shows Frank Laylick acted in self-defense. This all happened on Fayetteville Street over the weekend. Six people were hurt, including Laylick. He initially faced charges for assault with the deadly weapon. At his first court appearance, his defense team argued self-defense, and prosecutors agreed and dropped the charges. Well, concerts at the Redhead Amphitheater start this week and will run until October. The city is building a new venue. This Sky-Fi video shows construction A. Lenore and South Street. You can see the clear the section south of the old amphitheater. The new one is going to increase capacity from just under 6,000 people to 6,500. One park in Raleigh is growing. Wally City Council putting $350,000 toward a project at Forest Ridge Park. It will be used to add more miles to the mountain bike trail. Construction is set to be done in about two years. Happening today, Udley Creek water reclamation facility is expanding. The groundbreaking is happening later this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the facility along Treatment Plant Road in Holly Springs. The expansion comes as the population and businesses continue to grow in the area. Online safety was a topic of conversation for students and parents at Jim Jordan High School in Durham. Yesterday, school board hosted the school rather, hosted the Create With Kindness event with the support of TikTok. The event gave parents guides and how to protect their children online. Some suggestions included limiting screen time, controlling direct messages, and receiving notifications when their child posts videos and monitoring who their child follows. Charlotte Hornets are one win away from the playoffs, and now they know they will get who they will need to beat to get into the playoffs. Charlotte will head to Orlando tomorrow night to take on the magic. Orlando's fighting to stay alive after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers last night. Tomorrow night's game, the tip off is set for 7.30. It is 8.51, and we just got a new drought howluck, Elizabeth.

We did. And of course, sometimes it takes a little time for that to update in our system. And so this map is last weeks, but it will allow me to sort of explain what's going on. So the red here is extreme drought. We've been under severe drought, which is the orange for several weeks now. And just in the last couple of weeks, we've been under extreme drought in some of our northeastern counties. When you see the new update, it includes Warren County, JD Vance County, most of Granville County, a little bit of Roxburgh, of Person County, almost all of Durham County and part of Wake County. So that's a significant expansion of our extreme drought. And, of course, the city of Raleigh has now enacted water restrictions starting on Monday. Of course, we had some other pockets still due of extreme drought and other parts of the state here around the foothills and the Piedmont and then from the mountains, say Asheville, south and west. So burn ban is in effect until further notice. And further notice could be weeks. It could be months. We just don't really see a break in our very dry path. We started to see drier than normal conditions as early as last September. We saw a little improvement around December, but we just haven't really been able to recover, and it may be quite some time. It's going to be a hot afternoon. This is a live look at Dix Park. This is the Gibson Play Plaza. It looks pretty quiet there at this hour, but it's currently pretty comfortable outside. 68 degrees. We have a southwest wind at 13. Temperature 68 in Carrie. It's 69 in Garner and 68 in Wake Forest. But we should climb into the low 90s again. broke the record high yesterday at 92. And we're going to be really warm. Again, close to records for the next couple of days. And then 95 is the record on Saturday. We'll be close to that at 94. We do see a front that comes through one tomorrow that'll bring us a slight chance of a shower around midday. And then Sunday in the afternoon and evening, there could be a few isolated storms. Not likely to see very much rain out of either of those fronts. But Sunday's front delivers much cooler temperatures to start next week. We're in the 60s for highs on Monday.

Thanks, Elizabeth. Before we go to break, here's a look at your winning North Carolina education lottery numbers. We will be giving you another check on weather and traffic next. a good girl. Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required.